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Adames, Reggies roll through Lynn Tech

Saturday, October, 27 By Hector Longo
Staff writer

LYNN | The disruption in the school day, the unusual 3:45 p.m. start, the long bus trip to Lynn ... all were land mines that could have thrown unbeaten Greater Lawrence Tech off its game.

Nate Adames would have none of it. Leaping off the bus in full stride, Adames rolled up three long first-quarter TDs and the Reggies made it eight straight with ease, drilling previously perfect (5-0) Lynn Tech, 32-14.

"We had a great week of practice, and we had to keep up the intensity from practice to this game, and that's what we did," said the unstoppable Adames, who looked even quicker than usual on the new artificial surface at the Manning Bowl with 270 yards rushing on 32 carries plus a meandering 88-yard punt return that left jaws dropping and tacklers flopping with every turn.

"This was an undefeated team, but we knew what it would take."

Adames danced for TD runs of 18 and 57 yards on Greater Lawrence's first two possessions. Then the senior picked up a punt at his own 12 and danced out of at least four possible tackles. By the time he broke into the open at about the 25, Reggie coach Tony Sarkis was there for the escort, windmilling his superstar up the sideline, all the way to paydirt.

"That was an arrow right in their heart," said Sarkis. "One, two, three, four and pow he's gone."

Adames, with three regular season games left, now has 1,769 yards rushing, and the four-TD effort yesterday made it 25 on the year.

He was by no means the only Reggie up to the challenge, though.

Defensively, Greater Lawrence bottled up a Tiger attack that had been piling up 34.4 points a contest. Leading the way was rush linebacker Yerison Cruz, who finished the afternoon with eight tackles and three gigantic sacks.

"I used my speed and swim move pretty good today," said Cruz. "We wanted to prove a point on defense and we did."

Isaac and Victor Sosa, Jonathan Cote, Miguel Plaza and Cruz all took turns punishing Tiger ballcarriers on a day in which the hosts were held to 152 yards of offense.

"We still have work to do," said Cruz. "Two more league games, that will decide things in the CAC Large plus (we have) Thanksgiving Day's battle with Lawrence High."

The Reggies take to the road a week from today at Greater Lowell, then the following Saturday at Shawsheen. Two wins equals a league title and a spot in the playoffs.